Editor’s Note:

On Aug. 26, 1980, Shenzhen, once an obscure fishing village in Guangdong Province, was designated as China’s first special economic zone. Over the past 44 years, this city has rapidly transformed into a thriving metropolis, achieving remarkable successes across various domains. Shenzhen Daily is launching a series of reports to celebrate the milestone.

Liu Minxia

mllmx@163.com

IN an oft-cited anecdote attributed to the esteemed Chinese writer Lu Xun, he commended the bold spirit of “the first person to feast on crabs,” praising this individual’s courage. Lu suggested that embracing new experiences requires a warrior-like audacity to venture into uncharted territories.

Many firsts

Drawing a parallel to this sentiment, Shenzhen has consistently been the first — it’s been at the forefront of innovation since being designated as a special economic zone Aug. 26, 1980 and continues to lead China’s economic and social development to this day.

In its early days, Shenzhen pioneered several initiatives that set the stage for modern development in China. It was the first city to embrace a market-oriented approach, conduct land-use rights auctions, explore modern enterprise systems, establish a stock market, and introduce free job selection, among many other groundbreaking efforts.

Today, the city continues to innovate across various fields, boasting achievements such as hosting China’s first digital tower for drone operations, the nation’s first digital yuan industrial park, the world’s first international mangrove center, and China’s first international dark sky community.

Over the past four decades, Shenzhen has achieved a development miracle. Between 1980 and 2023, the city’s GDP grew from 270 million yuan (US$37.9 million) to 3.46 trillion yuan, an increase of over 10,000 times. Its per capita GDP skyrocketed from approximately 600 yuan to 273,623 yuan.

Shenzhen’s extensive reforms have transformed the city from a modest fishing village into a significant player on the global economic stage. These reforms have not only driven local growth but also serve as models for other regions, both domestically and internationally.

A CNN report hailed Shenzhen as “a model for China,” noting that other regions seek to replicate the “Shenzhen effect” in urban development. These regions “often [feature] architectural motifs reminiscent of Shenzhen, sprawling along broad, perpendicular avenues flanked by convention centers, malls, and flagship skyscrapers.”

Technological

breakthroughs

The city has played a pivotal role in shaping China’s innovation landscape through a slew of pioneering technologies and forward-thinking policies.

Official data from 2023 revealed Shenzhen’s leadership in domestic patents with 235,100 filings and 249,700 trademark registrations. The city’s 15,900 PCT patent applications last year marked its 20th consecutive year as a frontrunner among major Chinese cities.

Shenzhen firms spearhead more than 90% of research and development in the city, employ over 90% of research scholars, finance more than 90% of research activities, and hold more than 90% of patents – a testament to the city’s market-oriented innovation strategy.

In response to market dynamics and industrial growth, Shenzhen has recently prioritized fundamental research to bolster its innovation capabilities.

Strategic platforms like the Guangming Science City, the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, and the Xili Lake International Science and Education City have emerged as new engines for scientific and technological innovation.

Wang Yunxing, director of the public economics research institute at the Shenzhen-based think tank China Development Institute, emphasized the significance of Shenzhen’s 2020 legislation mandating a minimum allocation of 30% of research funds to basic and applied basic research. This move has provided substantial backing for Shenzhen’s innovation drive, he said.

“Shenzhen has set a precedent for other regions to emulate in their pursuit of technological advancement and economic prosperity,” Wang said.

Deepening reform

Amid China’s quest for high-quality development and the cultivation of new quality productive forces, Shenzhen is forging ahead in burgeoning sectors to establish itself as a frontrunner in the low-altitude economy, a pioneer in artificial intelligence development, a world-class automotive city, and a leading hub for digital energy.

“These emerging sectors often undergo a trial-and-error process, and Shenzhen has accumulated valuable experience in guiding their development,” said Ding Ning, executive deputy director of the Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society.

To support these nascent sectors, Shenzhen implemented the country’s first regulations for intelligent connected vehicles in August 2022 and released the country’s first artificial intelligence regulations in September 2022.

“Innovation-driven growth necessitates both scientific and technological advancements and institutional changes. Like the coordinated motion of a vehicle’s wheels, these components must harmonize to effectively propel high-quality development,” said Wang.

Shenzhen’s consistent leadership in reform initiatives stems from a strong sense of duty and call to action, he said.

“As a pioneer in reform and opening up, Shenzhen has long embraced the mandate of pioneering reform. Additionally, given its prominent role in various nascent sectors, Shenzhen must forge ahead, leveraging reforms to dismantle institutional barriers and cultivate fresh avenues for development,” he said.